A Lenten Reflection

​A Lenten Reflection 

by Claire Mueller, Espiritu Community, Houston, TX

Last Sunday, I was asked by a friend to attend her girls' confirmation class with them. It was a meeting that sponsors were supposed to attend, but neither of their sponsors could go, so I was a stand-in. The priest shared a beautiful poem entitled "I Would Like to Rise Very High," by French priest and author, Michael Quoist. In the poem, the author wishes he could "borrow" God's eyes and describes what he would see from such a vantage point.

This is what really caught my attention and what I have been praying about as we begin Lent. 

    "I would understand that nothing is secular, neither things, nor people, nor events. 
    But that, on the contrary, everything has been made sacred in its origin by God"

What a very beautiful and profound thought that “nothing is secular.” Everything is of God, by God, and from God. When I see a beautiful tree just beginning to bud, I feel like it is easy to see a work of God. I can easily recognize the hand of God when I share a special time with family. These moments of beauty move me to gratitude. However, can I see the handiwork of the Lord in an unexpected delay in a project or in a disagreement with a friend? What a challenge it is to see the not pretty parts of my life as also sacred and a gift. Yet, when I reflect on this idea, I can bring to mind many times when what was thought to be a burden turned out to be a blessing.
 
This Lenten season, I am going to try to hold in my heart and mind that nothing is secular and that all is sacred. I will try to remember how so often hurts and obstacles are transformed by God into beauty and blessing. 

I pray for each of you a holy and blessed Lent! 

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